Locking plates for pitless well adaptors



Dec. 15, 1964 H. w. MAASS 3,161,424

LOCKING PLATES FOR PITLESS WELL ADAPTORS Filed June 4, 1963 on J INVENTOR. HERBERT W. MAASS WM WW ATTORNEYS pipe.

United States Patent 01 3,lfii,424 Patented Dec. 15, 1964 ice 3,161,424 LQCKING PLATES FOR PITLES WELL ADAPTORS Herbert W. Maass, Wauwatosa, Wis. (10940 W. Congress St., Milwaukee 18, Wis.) Filed June 4, 1963, Ser. No. 285,378 2 Claims. (Cl. 285-18) This invention relates to locking plates for pitless Well adaptors.

In the prior Herbert W. Maass et al. Patent No. 2,841,- 223 there is disclosed a pitless well adaptor for submersible pump well in which the pump and its appurtenances can be conveniently and quickly removed for repairs and inspection.

The pitless well adaptor referred to includes a sanitary fitting'within the well casing which connects both with a vertically extending water flow pipe and an outwardly directed water supply pipe. The portions of the assemblage within the well casing may be withdrawn from the well casing vertically by a drop pipe temporarily applied to'the upper end portion of the fitting. It is highly desirable that the fitting be maintained in proper position within the well casing so that the connection portions thereof will align at all times with the water flow pipe and with the connections for the outgoing water supply This is particularly important when it is realized that, there are pressures reacting within the fitting and connecting pipes which might undesirably cause the fitting to deflect laterally.

With the foregoing in; mind it is, therefore, a general object of the invention to provide for a pitless well adaptor, a locking plate which may be readily applied to the locking device for a pitless well adaptor, a very simple form of plate which may be brought into or released from wedging engagement with internal wall portions of 'the well casing which houses the pitless well adaptor while in embracing engagement with a portion of the adaptor fitting, said plate having attached thereto a flexi- .ble cord extending to the upper end of the well casing for accessibility in manipulating the locking plate.

The prior MaassPatent No. 2,998,847, while generally providing a locking prop for a pitless well adaptor which may prevent lateral deflection of the adaptor and its appurtenances, requires that the installation include perma- .nently attached, vertically extending telescopic pipe sections to which the locking prop is attached. While the locking prop of said prior Patent No. 2,998,847 is entirely satisfactory for the stated purposes, it is more expensive to manufacture and install than the locking plate of the present invention and has the objection of requiring the permanently attached telescopic pipe sections which are entirely eliminated through the device of the present invention.

A more specific object of the present invention is to,

sealing cap or closure.

In the accompanying drawing in which the same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the upper portion of a well installation of the pitless and submersible pump type embodying the improved adaptor and the locking plate therefor, the latter being shown in its locked position;

FIG. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken approximately along the line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the improved locking plate on a slightly larger scale and with the control line omitted;

FIG. 4 is a side view of the showing in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the improved locking plate.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, it will appear that a well casing, of circular form in cross section, is indicated generally by the numeral 5. As is conventional, the upper end portion of the well casing protrudes above the ground level a suitable distance and, as is shown in prior U.S. Patent No. 2,841,223, the upper end of the casing 5 may have applied thereto a removable The well casing 5, below the frost level, has an opening 6 formed in a side wall portion thereof over which there is welded the lip or ledge portion of a box 7 which may take the form of the boxes illustrated either in prior Patent No. 2,841,223 or 3,081,- 829. Within the well casing 5 adjacent the opening over which the box 7 is applied, there is a metallic chambered fitting, generally indicated by the numeral 8, and to the lower end portion of which is secured the upper end portion of a flow pipe 9. The latter extends downwardly into the lower portion of the well casing to have water forced upwardly through said flow pipe when the well pump (not shown) is in operation. Water pumped upwardly through the flow pipe 9 will pass from the upper end of the latter into the cavity of the fitting 8 and then into a downwardly outwardly offset portion 8 of the fitting which is housed within the well adaptor box 7 and which carries an outwardly projecting nipple 10 which connects with a water supply pipe (not shown), the lat ter leading to a remote point Where the pumped Water is to be utilized. The upper end portion of the well adaptor fitting 8 is customarily provided with an internally-threaded drop pipe receiving cup or socket 11 into which the lower end portion of a temporarily applied drop pipe 12 may be threaded when the installation is being made, or when the parts are to be removed from the well casing 5 for repairs and inspection.

The improved locking plate for a pitless well adaptor is shown in detail in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5, and it will be .observed that the locking plate, designated generally by the numeral 13, takes the form of an integral metallic plate, preferably of an aluminum alloy for lightness, and

of a substantial width. The overall length of the locking plate 13 is very slightly greater than the internal diameter of the well casing 5. One end portion thereof,

designated by the numenal 13', takes the form of an incomplete circle, with the opening 14 therein being on a radius somewhat greater than the radius of the exterior of the cup or socket 11 of the fitting 8. Extending from the closed end portion of the curved portion .13 of the plate 13 is a flat rectilineal portion 13" which a boss or protuberance 17. Also, it will be observed that the outer end or" the plate portion 13' is curved on a radius to conform with the curvature of the inner wall of the well casing 5 and is also beveled or inclined as at 18 to provide a wedging edge.

In the use of the improved locking plate for a pitless well adaptor, when the adaptor assemblage and its connections are mounted within the well casing 5 in the manner described in said prior Patent No. 2,841,223, and as shown in FIG. 1, the locking plate 13 is applied while the drop pipe 12 is still connected to the cup or socket 11 of the fitting 8. The drop pipe extends to or above the upper end of the Well casing 5 and, initially, the plate 13 is applied to the upper end of the drop pipe 12 and the same is then slid downwardly on the drop pipe, with the latter extending looseiy through the curved end portion 13' of the plate 13. The entire plate is tilted at an angle relative to the axis of the drop pipe and will readily slide downwardly on the same and over the outer surface of the cup or socket 11 of the fitting, the arms forming the curved portion 13 of the plate 13 loosely embracing the exterior surface of the fitting portion 11 and the downward movement of the plate being limited by engagement with the portion of the fitting which flares outwardly into the offset portion 8'. While the locking plate 13 is being moved downwardly to its operative position the attached flexible control line 16 is manually held at the outer end of the well casing and, after the plate has gravitated into its lowermost position as described, it can be wiggled or manipulated into the locking position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein the ends of the arms forming the curved portion 13' of the plate will wedgingly engage against edge portions of the well wall adjacent the opening 6 therein, and the edge of the tapered end 18 of the plate portion 13" can be manipulated into wedging contact with the inner surface of the well casing thereadjacent. The depending boss or protuberance is so spaced that it serves to locate or position the locking plate 13 when it is applied to the fitting 8 and, when the plate is in its wedging condition shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the protuberance will abut against a side wall portion of the fitting 8 and thereby limit the tilting movement of the locking plate in one direction.

After the locking plate 13 has been applied and manipulated to its locking position, the upper end portion of the control line 16 may be taped or otherwise secured to electrical wiring (not shown), or other appurtenances at the upper end of the Well casing. Thereafter, the drop pipe 12 is unthreaded from the cup or socket 11 and removed and the well and adaptor are ready for use. Because the locking plate 13 firmly engages the adaptor fitting 8 and is wedged in position between opposite wall portions of the well casing, the fitting and the attached parts are very effectively braced and held against any lateral deflection or misalignment, notwithstanding pressures built up in the fluid system. The locking plate may also find utility in connection with shallow well high pressure installations.

It is obvious that when the installation is to be withdrawn vertically upwardly through the well casing for repairs or inspection it is merely necessary to re-apply the drop pipe 12 to the cup or sleeve portion 11 of the fitting. Then, by engaging the upper end of the control line 6 and pulling upwardly thereon so as to wiggle the locking plate 13, it can be tilted to an extent which will disengage its opposite extremities from wedging impingement with inner wall portions of the well casing.

Thereafter, the locking plate may be pulled upwardly out of the well casing along the drop pipe 12 and, by pulling upwardly on the drop pipe, all of the parts connected to the adaptor fitting 8 may be withdrawn vertically upwardly through the well casing because the fitting will then disengage the upper end of the nipple 10 with which it has a forced fitting.

The improved locking plate for a pitless well adaptor is associated with the adaptor elements Within the well casing in a very simple manner and does not in any way interfere with the normal functioning of the well adaptor nor its appurtenances but, on the contrary, it maintains the adaptor and its fittings in a condition of stability and prevents lateral deflection. The locking plate is easily manipulated to and from its locking association with the fitting and does not require any modification of the adaptor. The improved locking plate, besides being easy to apply and manipulate, is inexpensive and is otherwise well adapted for the purposes described.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. In combination, a vertical well casing, a fluid pipe fitting removably anchored within said well casing and having at its upper end a cylindrical socket whose axis is parallel to the axis of the well casing and whose outer surface is eccentrically spaced from the inner wall of the well casing, and a locking plate having an opening therein of greater diameter than the external diameter of said cylindrical socket with the latter extending loosely through said opening to rockingly mount the plate on the socket, said plate being of slightly greater length than the transverse dimension of the well casing and having, adjacent a margin of its opening, a depending boss, the locking plate, when mounted on the fluid pipe fitting socket and rocked toward a position at right angles to the axis of the well casing, releasably wedgingly engaging at its opposite ends spaced-apart inner wall portions of the casing to stabilize said fitting and said boss contacting a Wall portion of the fitting to limit the rocking movement of the plate.

2. In combination, a vertical well casing, a fluid pipe fitting removably anchored within said well casing and having at its upper end a cylindrical socket whose axis is parallel to the axis of the well casing and whose outer surface is eccentrically spaced from the inner wall of the well casing, and a locking plate having an opening therein of greater diameter than the external diameter of said cylindrical socket with the latter extending loosely through said opening to rockingly mount the plate on the socket, said plate being of slightly greater length than the transverse dimension of the well casing and having, adjacent a margin of its opening, a depending boss, the locking plate, when mounted on the fluid pipe fitting socket and rocked toward a position at right angles to the axis of the well casing, releasably wedgingly engaging at its opposite ends spaced-apart inner wall portions of the casing to stabilize said fitting and said boss contacting a wall portion of the fitting to limit the rocking movement of the plate, and an elongated manipulating cord attached at its inner end to said plate and extending upwardly in the well casing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,903,067 9/59 Hall 166-85 2,949,961 8/60 Anderson 16685 2,998,847 9/61 Maass l6688 BENJAMIN HERSH, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A VERTICAL WELL CASING, A FLUID PIPE FITTING REMOVABLY ANCHORED WITHIN SAID WELL CASING AND HAVING AT ITS UPPER END A CYLINDRICAL SOCKET WHOSE AXIS IS PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF THE WELL CASING AND WHOSE OUTER SURFACE IS ECCENTRICALLY SPACED FROM THE INNER WALL OF THE WELL CASING, AND A LOCKING PLATE HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN OF GREATER DIAMETER THAN THE EXTERNAL DIAMETER OF SAID CYLINDRICAL SOCKET WITH THE LATTER EXTENDING LOOSELY THROUGH SAID OPENING TO ROCKINGLY MOUNT THE PLATE ON THE SOCKET, SAID PLATE BEING OF SLIGHTLY GREATER LENGTH THAN THE TRANSVERSE DIMENSION OF THE WELL CASING AND HAVING, ADJACENT A MARGIN OF ITS OPENING, A DEPENDING BOSS, THE LOCKING PLATE, WHEN MOUNTED ON THE FLUID PIPE FITTING SOCKET AND ROCKED TOWARD A POSITION AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE AXIS OF THE WELL CASING, RELEASABLY WEDGINGLY ENGAGING AT ITS OPPOSITE ENDS SPACED-APART INNER WALL PORTIONS OF THE CASING TO STABILIZE SAID FITTING AND SAID BOSS CONTACTING A WALL PORTION OF THE FITTING TO LIMIT THE ROCKING MOVEMENT OF THE PLATE. 